Even after passage of more than a month, there is no headway in selection of new Vice Chancellor, Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology (SKUAST)-Kashmir.
An official said the authorities were yet to invite applications from the candidates for the post though the tenure of the incumbent VC is ending in October this year.
The J&K government had set-up a selection committee to recommend names for appointment of the VC.
The 5-member panel is headed by Financial Commissioner Finance, Arun Kumar Mehta with Director General, Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR); Chairman UGC or his nominee; VC, SKUAST, Jammu; and nominee of the Chancellor of the University, as its members.
“The government has not issued any notification for inviting applications from the eligible candidates for the post,” said spokesperson SKUAST-K Scientists and Teachers Association.
“If the new VC is not appointed on time, the government may temporarily appoint an in-charge VC which will not be in the interest of the institution, faculty and students,” the spokesperson said.
He said appointment of an in-charge VC will promote nepotism and be detrimental for the varsity.
“Anyone who is appointed as in-charge VC doesn’t work with long term goals but holds the chair as a formality without taking any academic or research related decisions,” he said.
The Association said several teaching and non-teaching positions in the University were also vacant. It said delay in appointment of the VC will delay the recruitment process and affect the functioning of the institution.
“We urge the government to immediately come up with a notification inviting applications for the post. We request the LG who is the Chancellor of the University to intervene in the matter,” he said.
Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary was not available for his comments on the issue.
Meanwhile, the authorities were also delaying filling the posts Vice Chancellors, Cluster Universities, Srinagar and Jammu. At present, the VC, Kashmir University (KU) and VC, Jammu University are holding these posts as additional charges respectively.
An official said a search committee was constituted in the second week of June for recommending a panel for appointment of the VCs of the two Universities.
The committee approved by J&K LG, who is also Chancellor of J&K Universities, is headed by Director Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Jammu Prof Bidya Shankar Sahay while VC Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Mushtaq A Sidique and VC, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Prof Ravinder Kumar Sinha are its members.
A member of the search panel said around 100 applications each have been received from aspirants for the VC posts of Srinagar and Jammu Universities.
“We are hopeful to complete the selection process by September 15,” he said.